1 ALS, 2 pages, dated March 5, 1878, New York, to Gov. William Dennison, Jr., on “Studio Building” letterhead.

1 ALS, 2 pages, dated March 5, 1878, New York, to [former] Ohio Gov. William Dennison, Jr., on "Studio Building" letterhead. Docketed and signed on the verso of the second page Dennison: "Respectfully forwarded to the President. W. Dennison . . ."

William H. Beard was a New York City artist noted for his satirical animal. William Dennison was Lincoln's Postmaster General and Civil War Governor of Ohio. Beard addresses his letter to Dennison seeking a government position for a friend, and Dennison in turn refers the letter to President Hayes.


The letter reads in part: "My dear Sir… Although I have never had the pleasure of meeting you, I almost feel like an old acquaintance, your name has become so familiar through my brother James and his family… [Dennison was a relative of James Beard's wife, Caroline Carter Beard]. I write to solicit the kindly exercise of your influence in behalf of a friend in whom I feel a great interest, Mr. Alonzo Church, whom I believe you know, and perhaps know the circumstances of his life,[…] I have little or no influence with public men, unless perchance by the earnestness of my appeal to such as yourself…"

Alonzo Webster Church was the son of Dr. Alonzo Church, President of the University of Georgia before the Civil War. From 1860-74 Alonzo W. was general solicitor of the Chicago and Alton railroad company, until he was disabled by paralysis (probably a stroke). Persistence by friends, such as Beard, finally resulted in Alonzo landing a government position that could accommodate his limitations. In 1883 he was appointed Librarian of the U.S. Senate, where he served until 1906. His grandson, also Alonzo Church was a great mathematician and computer scientist known for three contributions to mathematical logic: Church's thesis, Church's theorem, and the lambda calculus.

William Holbrook Beard was a prolific artist with a focus on animals. His humorous treatment of bears, cats, dogs, horses, and monkeys, generally with some human occupation and expression, usually satirical, were very popular, and his pictures were largely reproduced, most notably his Wall Street Bulls & Bears Series. Beard opened his own artist's studio on Tenth Street (from whence this letter is written) known as the "Studio Building." He died in NYC in 1900. His brother, James Henry Beard, referenced in this letter, was a well-known portrait painter.
William Dennison, Jr. was an early member of the Republican Party. His anti-slavery and anti-discrimination position elevated him in the Ohio Senate, and he was Governor of Ohio from 1860-62. Even before the Civil War began, he refused the demands of Kentucky and Virginia to extradite fugitive slaves, or to punish those who helped them. He mobilized Ohio at the start of the war and created large training camps for newly raised troops, one of which was named for him (Camp Dennison). When Lincoln was re-elected, he rewarded Dennison by appointing him U.S. Postmaster General. From 1874-78 he was President of the Board of Commissioners for the District of Columbia, the position he held when forwarding this letter. Letter folded, with 1-inch tear at the center fold and ½-inch tear at bottom fold. $375.00